Bittersweet
by Alice Summers
Summary: He was gone. It seemed so easy for him to leave and leave her behind. She was lost, but she found her path. She turned new page, yet never forgot all the ones she already filled. Things in life are bound to end, but after every end there is new beginning and she knew it wasn't going to be easy, but the bittersweet taste of life was worth it.
1. Lost

**Hello.  
I'll try to make this short.**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy and if I did own Ghost Hunt there would be a lot more romance in it (it would probably be horrible if I owned it, I would ruin it, oh well...). **

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Despite Mai's optimistic and cheerful behavior, her life was far from perfect. Her parents died when she was still a young girl and soon she had no other choice that to learn to survive in the big, cruel world. Mai knew how much it hurt losing someone, knew that this world was far from perfect, but she didn't let that get in the way of her morals. It was her pure heart that made her so strong and unique, attracting people to her, both dead and alive.  
However even Mai had moments when she let her sadness get the best of her and it was in that moment that she was crying in her small apartment, her head low as tears ran down her cheeks. It was the day Naru left. No, not Naru, Oliver Davis was his real name, thought Mai.  
She always knew that he was hiding something, it wasn't that hard for her to figure it out, she after all spent almost every day with him in the office, even if it was only to make tea and fill the paperwork. Naru's remarks about her intelligence, were far from true, Mai was the top student, she knew that after her parents deaths she had no safe net to catch her if she failed to get good grades or a job, no, she had to finish high school, go to college and get a good job, otherwise she would spend the rest of her life working long hours for little money. Yes, she had a temper, but it was rarely out of control, except when her ex-boss was included, but Mai was no idiot. She noticed Naru's ''work trips'', his reluctance to talk about his personal life or family, the strange habit of always writing in English, how even Lin called him Naru, even though Lin was the far most serious person in the office… The mystery was just gathering and Mai could do only so much to ignore it, so she acknowledged it, accepted it and let Naru have his privacy.  
There was however one thing she couldn't ignore, couldn't let go and that was the dream Naru. Who he was? Why was he helping her? Is he real or just her imagination? Why does he never speak? It kept bugging her and she knew she had to do something about it. She spent many hours wondering who he was, Naru or her imagination. In the end, she decided that he couldn't be Naru, he was just so different. It wasn't anything she could define, but she knew in her gut that it wasn't Naru.  
So, Mai let herself think that the boy in her dreams was just her imagination, letting the explanation of his existence be some ghost stuff that she was tempted to ask Naru or Lin about, but far too embarrassed to truly do it. For her the dream boy was just a friend, he helped her, guided her and he was a nice person as far as she was concerned, she liked spending time with quiet boy, but she liked to spend her time with Naru much more.  
Mai didn't know how it happened, but she fell for her narcissistic boss. She knew he was far from perfect. He was so successful at such a young age, smart and handsome, but he expressed emotions so rarely, sure there were anger, annoyance… Yet no matter how much Mai tried, she saw him smile, smile a real smile just one time and even then it was so short she most likely just imagined it. She knew that a heartbreak was most likely to be result of her love, falling for cold, confident Naru, with his smirk and moments of compassion, that made her feel special.  
"Me or Gene?" Of all the things he could say to her, of all the scenarios of this moment she played in her head, this was the one she never even imagined. How could he doubt her feelings? Emotions were something she was good at, she knew emotions well, be it sadness or joy, she knew what she was feeling. She guessed this was his refusal, this insulting question. She cried when he said that. Words left her. "I don't love Gene!" was what she wanted to scream, but all she was capable of at that moment were half sentences. It was horrible.  
Then Naru left with his brother's body to England. That day she cried until she fell asleep. But as he eyes closed, she found herself in familiar place; the world in between or at least that's what she called it. Gene was waiting for her there, with his soft smile and sad eyes. She knew it was his goodbye, his brother found his body, he had no reason to stay in this world anymore and Mai was touched by his visit, even if it left a bittersweet taste in her mouth. He hugged her, his strong, gentle arms wrapping around her. "I'm glad to have met you Mai." he spoke for the first time. A tear fell down her cheek, she wished that the twin she fell in love with truly was Gene, even if he was dead it would be easier, less painful. "I'm glad that I had the honor to call you my friend." softly spoke Mai, she always hated when people were leaving. The hug ended, he smiled his sad smile that she knew was on her tear stained face as well. "Goodbye." said Gene, but Mai couldn't say it back. Instead something her ex-boss said when they found Gene's body crossed her mind. It was a sad thought, yet not. "Until we meet again, Gene." replied Mai, because she knew, be it tomorrow or in 100 years, one day she will die too and then she will see him again. Death was scary, it meant losing someone, but she realized that it didn't mean the end, because she saw enough spirits to know that there is something after, where she will see her loved ones again.  
Mai's eyes slowly fluttered open. The soft sun rays were shining through her windows, but she didn't care all that much. It was sunday today so she didn't have school, she decided to travel to her parents old house to think.  
The trip took a hour, her old house wasn't in Tokyo and there was another family living in it now. It was sad to see the home she grew up to be occupied by someone other and at the same time she was happy that the place that brought her happiness as a child, was now source of happiness for someone else. It was strange how life was full of ambivalences. She felt sad and happy at the same time and she didn't know how that was even possible. Her talk with Gene helped her realize that end is just the start of something new, like after every sunset is sunrise. Now she just had to find her new path, but she knew that her path will be connected to the paranormal, to SPR.  
She was walking down the so familiar street she used to live in. It was relaxing. She remembered all the happy times she had with her family, her both families. Soon she found herself on the old playground, that resided in the middle of a park, not far from her old house. The playground was strangely empty. She sat on the swing and started moving her legs forward and backward, until she was swinging. Her hair, that now reached her shoulders flew around her face and Mai smiled. She was having fun. As the wind blew around her, her head was clear, she knew what she wanted to do. She wouldn't give up on paranormal just like that. She decided to study parapsychology. She knew it wasn't going to be easy, then again nothing ever was, but she was going to do it.  
As Mai was swinging her phone started ringing. She stopped herself and looked at the caller. It was Yasu. "Hey Yasu." He sounded worried. "I'm okay." She appreciated his concern for her, he was her friend and it was nice knowing that someone cared that much about her. "I'm sad, but I am okay Yasu. I won't let it get to me. I'll live." She talked to him for quite some time and she told him her plans. He supported her.


	2. Accepted

**Ciao,  
I am back and I'll try to make this short as short as possible:  
**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that is just the way I am  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy. The only thing I own is the plot.  
**

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A year passed. Monk adopted Mai after almost a month of convincing her that he would like to do it. After she was adopted she didn't need to work to pay her rent and food anymore. She wanted to get a job, it was almost a habit by then, but she decided that she will rather spend the time she once spent working for studying. She didn't let study swallow her social life, she often went out with Masako, who surprisingly became one of her best friends, Yasu, John and some other school friends. Monk and her often made "family" dinners, where everyone from the Japan SPR, minus Naru, Lin and Madoka gathered and chatted about everything and anything. It was fun. Mai felt happy, but there still something, someone missing, she knew who it was, but as time passed the feeling hurt less and less, until she could completely ignore it.

"Mai, look what just came for you!" Shouted Yasu as he was running in her direction and waving with a letter he held in his hand. She smiled a nervous smile, she guessed what that letter was, it was the last one to arrive and it made her even more nervous. Monk, who was sitting next to her gently put his hand on her shoulder, wordlessly offering comfort. They were in a small garden at the back of Monk and now Mai's house. Yasu finally reached her, handing her the letter. She knew she guessed right it was _the letter. _It couldn't have weighed all that much, but to Mai it seemed like she was holding a cube of iron. She was scared to open it, what if it was bad news? "Come on, open it!" shouted Yasu and so she did.

Mai slowly unfolded the paper and started to read out loud: "Dear Miss Taniyama,

On behalf of Cambridge University I am pleased to congratulate you on your acceptance into our parapsychology program…" She hasn't even finished reading when Mong hugged her. "Congratulations!" He shouted, cutting off Mai's oxygen with his hug. "My little Mai is going to college." He proudly said. Mai smiled, she was proud of herself too. When Monk adopted her she spent far more time studying than normal and managed to finish high school at 17. She was so very happy, that she couldn't even put it in words, so she just kept smiling.  
Mai hugged Masako. It was strange how a year ago they could not stand each other and now they were best friends. "I'm going to miss you." Whispered the black haired girl. Mai could not stop the tears that escaped down her cheeks. She slowly stepped back from Masako and looked at people around her, trying to remember their faces. Monk, Ayako, Masako, John, Yasu… Mai watched their sad, but proud faces and as she was standing in the airport, about to go on a plane she truly realized how much she loves them. "I'm going to miss you guys…" She said and turned around.

England was nice. Mai didn't need much time to adjust to the new city. Her flat was nice, people were nice and school would start next week. The latter bothered a little, she was a bit scared of university. She wondered how will others behave around her, she was after all 17 years old and they were all at least 19. But that wasn't her main worry, no, her main worry was Professor Davis. She knew it wasn't Oliver Davis, but his father, but still, it was scary. She didn't hear from Oliver in a year and now she is going to be in his father's presence. What if Oliver figured out that she was in England? She didn't know is she dreaded or hoped to see Oliver again. She really hoped she could stay under Oliver's radar. Honestly the man made her head spin even when he wasn't anywhere close. Mai threw herself on her soft new bed and sighed. Her walls were painted white and one was painted navy blue, she could still smell the color, but she paid it no mind, she was thinking about the past, about Japan SPR and Oliver. The moments they all spent together. She remembered how Masako once asked her why she loved Naru and not Gene. She knew it bugged Masako, when Oliver left Masako realized she wasn't in love with him, but his image, both as a ghost hunter and as a man, so after he left and her crush faced reality and died, she wondered what made Mai love Oliver and after almost 10 months Mai still remembered her answer "Because he was there when I woke up."

University started. The first two weeks were horrible, she kept getting lost in the gigantic building, but soon she got the hang of it. Her classes were hard, yet she has managed to be the top of her class once again with a lot of studying, but it was also made her a target for others. Some of her classmates didn't like her because she was younger and better than them and were even quite nasty about it, but those moments were rare. But not all of her peers disliked her, so she wasn't all that lonely and she has made some friends. The thing that truly bothered her was the parapsychology class, where she was almost always nervous, but as time passed it got better and since nobody recognized her or she hasn't seen anyone familiar yet if we are more accurate, she got more relaxed.

It was sunday afternoon and Mai decided to go in park. She slipped in her ankle boots, took her brown messenger bag and new book about parapsychology, because despite what most thought, Mai loved all kinds of books, she just rarely had time to read what she desired. She locked her door and headed to the Regent's Park. Once she was there she headed a bit deeper in it and sat down on a bench, that was obscured from view. She opened her book and started reading. The book was good, detailed, not that she expected anything less from him after all Oliver Davis was nothing if not accurate and efficient. His new book was about influence of emotions on one's powers. As she was reading the book, she almost missed the sudden, yet not really big drop in temperature. Had this happened to any other person, they would have blamed cool breeze or something like that, Mai however wasn't just any person and the drop in temperature made her mark the page she stayed on with, in her opinion cute deep green page marker and close the book, then she looked up and saw a little girl. In the last year she has never stopped with her paranormal hobby and she often went on cases with others, her powers grew too, not like Oliver's, but she could clearly see ghosts now and the girl standing before her was one. She was around 10, with long brown hair and blue eyes, she was dressed in a what once was a white summer dress, but now the dress had a hole in it and aroun was a red stain. _Blood_, thought Mai. "Can you see me?" Asked the girl in small voice. Mai nodded. "You can help me then." She asked, her voice full of hope. Mai was thinking, she came here to study, but she couldn't just abandon a soul in need of help. "Right?" Asked the girl, that was now scared that Mai would refuse. Like she ever could, Mai could never bring herself to say no to someone in need of help and this time was no different. "Of course I will help you. What's your name?" She asked the now smiling girl "Charlotte Grunet." And so her first case in London began.


	3. Conversations

**Guten Morgen, Guten Tag, Guten Abend oder Guten Nacht.  
I just wrote this, it's 23.27 and I am suffer from lack of sleep. I am going to work on my dialog skills, hopefully improve or something. Either way, enjoy.**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.  
**

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Charlotte Grunet was an orphan. The fact surprised Mai, who was sitting on the bench, with a closed book in her lap and attentively listening to the ghost before her, but it also made the desire to help her even stronger. "I want to find my murderer." Said Charlotte with determination in her voice, her little hands clenched in fists. Then she looked at the grass, her posture tense "There is something else I have to do." Her eyes haven't moved from the grass as she nervously played with her dress and to Mai who was leaning forward she seemed almost scared "But I can't remember what…" She mumbled in a small voice, almost as she wanted to hide herself. Mai was worried about the girl's behavior, but she knew that pushing her to talk would get her nowhere, even if Mai already had a pretty good idea, why was Charlotte so scared, orphanages are never without faults and even if the matron is nice, that doesn't mean other children are as well. So Mai smiled in hopes she wouldn't worry the other girl "No worries." she gently said, smiling softly at her and looking in her blue eyes that she finally moved from the grass "We will figure it out." At that Charlotte's eyes seemed to sparkle and she smiled a dazzling smile.

Mai once again found herself on her soft bed, staring at the wall and thinking. What Charlotte told her surprised her, usually ghosts tried to do something to get attention or their goal, while she only waited for someone that could help her. It was also weird how she remembered everything up to a year before she died and then only flashes. She wondered why was Charlotte in the park, was her body hidden there? The girl told Mai that she lived in Daler's Orphanage and Mai decided to visit the place next day after school. She signed, turned to her round nightstand and closed the light.

Daler's orphanage was a big, grey building that was anything but inviting. That didn't stop the petite brunette that was walking to the front door of the said building. She could see children looking through the windows at her. It made her a bit edgy, but that didn't stop her or made her smile any less. When she reached the big front door she knocked and not even a minute later were the door opened by a old lady with gray hair in a bun and cold grey eyes, dressed in black old fashioned skirt and brown blouse that didn't match the skirt at all. Ayako would faint at such horrible fashion sense, yet Mai paid lady's clothes no mind, she never cared much for that either way. "Hello. How can I help you?" Asked the lady, with a tight smile that wasn't very warm. Mai didn't like her, her gut told her that she was one of those people that didn't like children and was probably a world class failure at taking care of them. None the less Mai flashed a bit forced smile at the lady, trying to stay polite "Hello. Are you the matron of the orphanage?" She asked, even if she had already figured out that she indeed was the matron. "Yes. I'm Mrs. Owens." Her voice was gruff, her posture tense, eyes cold, unblinkingly staring at Mai, yet Mai kept smiling. "Could I take 15 minutes of your time? I have some questions about a orphan that used to live here." The matron looked at her and grunted a yes, opened the door a bit and let Mai in.

Mrs. Owens' office was as cold as the woman herself. Gray walls, black desk, a grey shelf with few books, gray aluminium chairs… "Sit." It was not even a question, order more like it. Mai wondered how the children are able to live with woman like that. Nonetheless she sat down. The chair was hard and uncomfortable. "Who is the b-orphan you wanted to talk about?" She was glaring at Mai now. The other girl returned the gaze without blinking, her smile not as wide and as fake as possible, yet still there seemed to annoy the matron. "Charlotte Grunet."

The atmosphere in the room seemed to reach new lows, if that was even possible. Mrs. Owens wasn't even trying to hide her dislike for Mai anymore, openly glaring at her. "Who are you? What do you want to know about that brat?" Mai wondered if the matron even considered asking these questions before she mentioned a dead child. "How rude of me. My name is Mai Taniyama. I would like to know everything that you know about Charlotte." Mai stayed polite, her posture becoming as tense as the woman's opposite her. "Why do you want to know about that good for nothing brat?" That made the brunette angry. She could not stand people being cruel to children. Her hands clenched into fists. She took a deep breath. In and out. "Either you tell me what I wish to know or I go to police. Anyway I get the information." That was probably not needed, but Mai was quite angry at the older woman, the words she said about Charlotte were hurtful and she didn't like it at all.

"Fine." The world was spit out of Mrs. Owens' mouth like it was cursed. The gray haired woman stood up and took a book from the gray shelf. She turned back to Mai and dropped the book on the desk. It landed with a loud 'thump'. The matron followed and sat down with same noise. Then she opened the book, she seemed to search for something. Old photos marred the pages, black and white faces looked back until the matron reached the page she was looking for. Her slightly wrinkled hands turned the book and shoved it to Mai, who leaned forward and reached for the book.

The picture was old, but the person on the photograph was without a doubt Charlotte Grunet. Under the picture was written Born: 17.8.1987. It saddened Mai knowing that the ghost she saw would be 27 now. Yet all these years were taken from her.

"What happened to her?" The matron watched her like a hawk, untrusting and careful. "She probably ran away." Mai grabbed her messenger bag and took a pen and notebook out of it. She searched for a blank page and then wrote _Charlotte Grunet, 17.8.1987_ "When did she disappear?" She didn't believe the older woman, not about Charlotte running away. "When she was 10. I had a bunch of problems because of her." The words seemed like poison coming from the matron. "Ungrateful girl." she mumbled, it was not supposed to be heard, but Mai did nonetheless. She was about to ask another question when Mrs. Owens spit out "15 minutes are over. I believe you can find the exit yourself." She didn't bother staying, she stood up and left the room and Mrs. Owens in it.

The wallpaper in the halls was falling down, the building was in horrible state. Mai slowly walked down the stairs walking carefully on the old wood. As she reached the front door something tugged her sleeve. She turned quickly, shocked at the sudden touch. As she did so she saw a little boy. Blond, blue eyed, short, dressed in old clothes, that barely kept together, it wasn't hard to figure out he lived in the orphanage. Her shock and fear disappeared upon seeing him. A bright smile appeared on her face, her eyes soft and for the first time after entering the orphanage she relaxed. The boy's eyes were curious, his shoulder slumped. Mai could see that it took all of his courage to contact her. She wondered why, what made him so curious to grab her sleeve?

"Hello." she bend her knees a little to see his eyes more clearly, it was one of those rare moments when her height gave her advantage. "H-Hi…" He was nervous, not even able to look her in the eyes for more than 5 seconds. "Can I help you?" Mai hoped her smile would make him relax, she usually had very good relationships with children. She guessed the orphans had harder time connecting because they often had emotional issues. She didn't blame them, they probably never had someone to care for them, to put them first, before someone else simply because they loved them so. "Why do you want to leave without meeting us? Are you not going to adopt anyone?" The question surprised Mai, yet there was something so very sad about it. "I am sorry. I came here to ask Mrs. Owens some questions." When he heard her answer it seemed like he received a slap. His eyes looked a bit watery, his gaze focused on his shoes. Mai's smile disappeared, she felt horrible for hurting him so. Slowly she dropped on her knees "Hey. Let's make a deal, okay?" His eyes slowly looked up, it lasted a second before his gaze was back on the shoes, but she knew she had his interest "If I ever meet someone that's looking to adopt a child, I will send them here, okay?" That seemed to snap him out, he looked at her, his blue eyes sparkling, whether from the unshed tears or the hope, she has not known. He nodded, then he turned and he was gone.

The next day was sunny, but Mai didn't really care about that, since she was indoors, in the giant Cambridge library where she was looking through old newspapers dated 1997, searching for any clue about Charlotte's death. So far she has found nothing. The pages were void of any Charlotte Grunet. With a sigh she dropped her head on the desk.

As she was lying like that she someone. "Well, I am just happy we managed to drag Oliver from his office." The voice was one she knew, all cherry, but with a pinch of sadness this time, yet unmistakably hers "I swear, the workaholic has finished all his work for at least next 5 months!" It was Madoka. She sounded frustrated, something Mai usually didn't associate with the cherry woman. She could hear her coming closer. It scared her, she didn't want Oliver discovering she was in London as long as possible, even if she risked it every time she stepped in her parapsychology classroom. Sooner or later, goes the saying, but Mai wished for the later or never even.

Her thoughts were all over the place, she was freaking out and she could hear Madoka getting closer. Thinking fast and not really clearly she quickly put all the newspapers on one pile and not a second before Madoka walked from behind one of the book shelves, she slipped under the desk.

"I know. Ever since we came back from Japan he has been constantly working." It was Lin who said that. Mai stopped breathing for a moment, she was so scared of being discovered. She hugged her knees closer to her chest, making herself smaller, hoping that they don't discover her. She could her Madoka sigh. It was strange hearing about Oliver, she wanted to hear more, but at the same time not. _What was he doing? How was he?_ Thoughts of him dominated her mind and Mai wondered how someone that she has not seen in a year still had such a strong influence on her.

"Hmm… What are these old newspapers doing here? Children these days, huh?" It was Madoka. If circumstances were different Mai would worry about the newspapers, but she had a bigger problem - Lin's shiki.

The shiki was staring at her, she could see it, the faint silver glow that they gave away. It had a form of a fox, a normal looking if a little bog fox. She could hear Lin and Madoka talking, but she could not understand the words said, her only focus was the fox. She knew she was in trouble, one wrong move and Lin would know about her being under the table. She slowly lifted her finger to her lips, mentally begging the fox to keep quiet, using her powers just for a moment to let the fox get her message. She didn't dare to use more that a tiny, tiny, really needed fragment of her powers, because she was scared that the Chinese man could sense her. She was already afraid and with her luck anything could go wrong. The fox slowly disappeared from the view. Once again the brunette hiding under the table was unable to breath properly.

Suddenly an odd tune broke the silence in the library, Mai was freaked out of her mind by it, caught off guard she almost screamed. "Madoka, I told you to turn off your phone!" Lin scolded the red haired woman, who looked embarrassed, not that Mai could see it, she was hiding under the desk. "Sorry, sorry…" She could hear Madoka say "It's from professor, he says we have a new case."

Mai could hear their footsteps as the walked away from her. She waited until she couldn't hear them anymore and then a bit before crawling from under the desk. She sat back on the chair. "A case, huh…" The words were soft, the sound lost in the big library. She looked at the ceiling and then closed her eyes, leaning in the chair. Then she slowly opened her eyes and looked at the old newspapers that were still there. _Well, I have a case as well_ she thought and once again started looking through the pages filled with old news.


	4. The detective

**Ola!**

**I am a horrendous, horrible, terrible writer. I haven't updated in more than a month and my only excuse is that my chair is so uncomortable that I have trouble writing. It's truth, but I have been sleeping, reading and watching dangerously big amounts of Criminal Minds. I am so very sorry. **

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.**

* * *

Mai was frustrated. She hit a dead end with the 3 short articles about Charlotte's disappearing and that resulted in her currently sitting in a police station on Sunday at 9 am, waiting for an old officer to bring her the files about the case. As she sat on an uncomfortable chair she observed police officers walking around, some carrying files or papers others boxes, some were drinking coffee and she saw two men that didn't wear the usual black and white outfit drag in a shabby looking man in cuffs. She guessed they were detectives or something. She watched with curiosity as the detective 1 dragged the criminal while detective 2 walked besides, looking even more bored than Mai felt at the moment. Her little investigation was getting her nowhere and each passing made her feel more obligated to help Charlotte than before. _Maybe it is because we both lost our parents, _thought Mai, _or it may be that I don't like the fact that nobody else bothered._

Lost in her thoughts the brunette didn't notice a man that walked to her. "Hello." Her head snapped upwards and the shock of seeing a person standing so close almost made her fall of her chair. She recognized the man as detective 2. Upon closer inspection she saw that he was quite handsome in a rugged sort of way. He had brown hair and grey eyes, tall, lean and muscular. She guessed he was quite the lady's man, her gut feeling only supported the hypothesis. "Hello." The detective 2 said again, making Mai realize she has been staring at him. She could feel herself blush upon the realization. "Um.. Hi." She knew that she was still staring at the man, but the confusion of why has he even talking to her was so great she could not stop looking at him like he was a male Medusa. "Am I that handsome?" he chuckled. Mai blinked, then blinked again. "Umm…" Was the response of the on-scholarship-Cambridge-student. The man kept on doing some weird thing between a smirk and a smile, while Mai caused her neck unnecessary pain of still looking up at the man. Upon realizing that she technically still hasn't said anything the petite brunette once again opened her mouth. "I have seen men just as handsome as you if not even more." She wanted to curl in a ball or bang her head on the wall, it would be less mortifying. The words she just said made her look at the floor, unable to face the man she so obviously stared at not moments ago. She moved her feet just to do something and grabbed the chair as if that would make the urge to flee any lesser.

It seemed like an eternity while in reality it could not be more than 3 seconds when the man laughed. It was a loud laugh, his head was thrown back and amusement shined in his eyes. He calmed down soon after that, but a large grin never left his face. "You are an interesting little thing. What are you doing here?"

Mai did not know what to think of the man, he looked in his mid to late 20's, confident and a bit arrogant, but her 'gut feeling' told her he was a good man, with strong morals. She looked him in the eyes, still trying to strangulate her chair "I am waiting for Officer Smith to bring me a case file." she said. The man's grin turned into a smile and the look in his eyes was more serious. He was about to ask something, however he was interrupted.

"Miss Taniam. Here is the file you requested." Said an almost in retirement man. Mai was felt a bit insulted by man's inability to remember her surname even when she has had told him 3 times since she arrived at the police station. "Thank you." She said as the man handed her the files with "Return them when you finish." and walked back to his chair before she could add that he got her surname wrong. She sighed and focused on the file that now rested in her lap. She opened it, there weren't all that many papers in there, 3 to be exact. Mai frowned. She read the first page, where Charlotte's personal information was listed such as her date of birth, where she live… The brunette didn't need much time to reach the end, she only received two new facts: 1. the date of Charlotte's disappearance, 8.5.1997 and 2. she was reported missing not by the ever so caring matron of the orphanage, but by a boy who's name was never before mentioned Bill Russell. God and all the other divine creatures how it angered Mai to see this documents on Charlotte's disappearance, it was almost screaming _We just labeled her another runaway, so why bother._

The ghost seeing brunette was glaring at the papers in her lap, hoping that another would pop out, showing her that somebody cared at least a little for children in orphanages or foster care. It didn't happen.

"Miss?" Mai turned her gaze back up, meeting the grey eyes of detective 2 who was still standing there. "Are you okay?" He looked worried, his facial expression serious now that he didn't smile. Mai smiled softly, yet with no real happiness behind it. "I am fine." She wasn't and as her dysfunctional family back in Japan often reminded her, she was a horrible liar, something that detective 2 realized as well. "You don't seem fine. Why don't we grab some coffee, it may calm you down." The offer was unusual, not all that professional of him, yet kind and Mai could only nod as her 'gut feeling' about the detective 2 turned out to be correct.

And so 10 minutes later Mai found herself sitting on a cosy couch in Starbucks coffee, really close to Scotland Yard. Detective 2, who's name she still didn't know was just walking back to their table with drinks he ordered, coffee and unknow beverage that he chose for her. He sat down and passed her her drink. "I am Matthew Turner." his hand outstretched for a handshake. She smiled as her hand touched his "I am Mai Taniyama. It's a pleasure to meet you." Matthew smiled back. His hand now holding the coffee cup from which he took a sip. Mai done the same in hopes that the drink she now knew was some frappuccino would somehow make the awkwardness that followed the introduction go away. It didn't and Mai was left with sipping her drink and looking around the cafe, coming up with ideas how to break the ice. Thankfully it was Matthew who spoke first, because Mai didn't really came up with any ideas.

"Can I ask you why were you looking at the file and what was written on the documents you read?" It was an odd question coming from a stranger. Nobody else at the police station seemed to care. "Why?" It wasn't an answer, Mai was curious, confused and not ready to trust someone she met less than 20 minutes ago that she was investigating murder of a ghost of a little girl she met in park. She looked in his eyes and hoped that her intuition would help her discover if the detective Turner was honest.

"I first approached you because you seemed bored and it is quite strange to see a teenage girl sitting on a chair in Scotland Yard. Even stranger to see a girl interested in case that happened in 1997." He said, his grey eyes staring back at Mai, who looked a bit alarmed upon hearing that he knew the year of the case "I managed to read the file when you were reading it." He added as to calm her down and drank his coffee. "Are you going to answer my question now?" He was either a very good liar or speaking the truth, because if it was the former he sure fooled her. She sighed, looked at her frappuccino, took a sip, a deep breath and decided it couldn't really harm anybody if she told the detective a bit. "She was just proclaimed as a runaway, nobody even bothered. They investigated the orphanage, but even that was bearly. I just came across some...um...things that led me to believe otherwise. She deserves the truth" The last part was said quietly, but Detective Turner heard her. _What an odd girl_, yet he could not deny that he would do the same.

"What things, if you don't mind?" He too was curious as to how the girl sitting on the opposite couch discovered a old, forgotten case. Mai nervously moved, her eyes unable to meet those of the detective. Her glass never looked more interesting. "Amm… It's not really evidence or anything...umm...just things." _What a great explanation,_ she still couldn't met the man's eyes. Convinced that he thought she was a fool, she gripped her glass and sipped her drink just to do something other than sit in silence that seemed to go forever.

"That sounds interesting." Matthew said as he observed the petite girl, she was odd, but something told him she was right and that the girl he read about in the file, Charlotte G-something was not just another runaway. Call it his detective 6th sense, but he believed Mai. His face forming a smirk, intelligent grey eyes sparkling at the thought of a difficult case to occupy his time. "I will look into the case for you."

Mai couldn't believe her own ears. Her eyes shot up, her mouth replying automatically "Okay." and she wondered whether she just made the case easier for herself or she just won a ticket to mental hospital once in the near future if the handsome detective ever realized she could see ghosts. However by that point it was too late and she just went with the flow.

By the time she left Starbucks it was 1.30 pm. Armored with new information about Matthew Turner, such as he has a younger brother, is 26 years old, finished school early, his phone number and even an address a very hungry Mai headed back home where she planned to cook some lunch and finish the rest of her homework.


	5. Friends

**Ciao miei cari!**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect.  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am.  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.**

* * *

The young brunette once again sat in the Starbucks, sipping her tea and waiting for Matthew. If she was honest she would prefer another meeting point, such as a not very well known cafe not far from her apartment or a park, but the detective insisted that the Starbucks right across the street from Scotland Yard was the best meeting place and so Mai was sitting on a chair, looking out of the window, looking at people that walked past the window, but not really seeing them. She was lost in her thoughts, wondering about Detective Matthew Turner. He appeared as a friendly, confident and outspoken individual and Mai liked him, yet she wondered what would he think of her if he knew she studied parapsychology and could see ghosts. She has told him the other day that she was a scholarship student at Cambridge and he seemed impressed. But Mai knew that people often didn't take her seriously only because of her career choice. She never cared if people believed in paranormal or not, but it irritated her that people would assume that because a person could see or otherwise interact with paranormal beings, they would be stupid, fake and everything that came with it. She didn't want this to happen with Matthew, because a) she liked the man and hoped to become friends and b) didn't want to lose the only ally she had in her little investigation, so she hoped she could keep her secret for a while.

"..ai. Mai!" When she realized somebody was calling her name she almost spilled her tea. "Welcome back to Earth, Mai." Matthew laughed in the opposite seat. Mai could feel her face heat up, she knew she was probably blushing from embarrassment. "Hello Matthew." She smiled at the man. He was dressed casually in dark jeans, shirt, jacket and converse shoes, _Naru never dressed like that, not that he has had anything other than black,_ she shoved the thought away in a dark corner of her mind and focused back on the present. She looked at the sitting man and saw that he finished his coffee "So… Shall we go?" Matthew grinned, his eyes held look of mischief, one that faintly reminded her of Yasu's before he done something to Monk and she wondered what has she got in to.

Outside the cafe Mai headed for the underground, but her companion stopped her by grabbing her hand. She looked at him in confusion, how else were they supposed to reach Bill Russell, the person who reported Charlotte missing. "We are not taking underground." He turned and walked in opposite direction, taking Mai with him. She guessed he had a car, but when they turned around a corner and Matthew stopped next to a motorbike Mai could only stare. He took two helmets and handed one to Mai who only stared at the contraption before her. She remembered Ayako's warnings about motorbikes after Monk came up with idea to buy one for himself, of course the idea was refused, crushed, burned and rid of by Ayako more seriously than she rid of any ghost, but the warnings stayed and Mai could hear Ayako's voice as it screamed about how horrible this contraptions are.

"I am not going anywhere on this." Said Mai, still holding the helmet, watching the motorbike with disdain. Matthew just laughed. He too was holding the helmet, watching Mai. "It's completely safe." The brunette turned her head and looked at the laughing man with wide eyes. "Nothing will happen. I have been driving it since I turned 16." She kept looking at him "Honestly Mai, motorbikes are safe as long as someone responsible is driving them." He was convincing, she would give him that, but Mai kept hearing about all those horrible accidents that happened to motorists who then ended in hospital "Can't we just take the underground?" She looked him in the eye, silently begging to take the tube to Bill Russell's place. He sighed. "Let's make a deal. I drive you to the Green Park station on the motorbike and if by then you still want to take the tube we take the tube, if not we drive, okay?" He looked her in the eyes, somehow telling her she would be safe through eye contact. Mai had to admit, Matthew was really, really convincing people, because she found herself nodding in agreement.

Putting on the helmet she awkwardly climbed onto the motorbike, behind Matthew, who got on the bike with helmet on, before she could even register it. As she clumsily sat on the vehicle she wondered where to put her arms. She gripped her seat in hopes it would make her more stable, however her strategy did not seem to work. Matthew, who expected her to put her arms around him by now, turned around and took hold of her arms, putting them around his abdomen. Mai blushed, thankful for the helmet that covered it up. "Hold tight." Was all that Matthew said before he turned on the engine and took of.

Mai grasped the detective's jacket and held on for her dear life. Her eyes were closed, but after a while she slowly opened them. She saw as trees, houses, cars and lamps flew past her, or maybe she flew past them, her tight hold on the other brunet slowly lessened and changed into more normal hold, well at least in Mai's opinion. She realized that it wasn't so scary and she let herself enjoy the ride. Matthew could feel the moment she relaxed, smiling he asked "Can we just drive the whole way now?" He already knew the answer the moment she stopped holding him like she would die any moment, but he still asked just to get her confirmation.

The drive was about 25 minutes long and she had to confess she enjoyed it, not that she would admit, but the knowing looks and smug smirks she received from her companion as they walked to the front door told her, he already knew.

As they reached their destination she rang the bell. It made the usual noise, that was soon followed by the sound of footsteps and the door was opened by a woman. The woman was a tall, tan blond with kind blue eyes. She held the door with one hand while the other rested on her round belly. She was pregnant. "Hello. How can I help you?" She asked with a smile, even if Mai could see she was confused by arrival of two strangers. "Hello. I am Detective Matthew Turner and this is my associate Miss Mai Taniyama. We are looking for Bill Russell, is he here?" Mai could see that the woman became nervous as she heard the introduction "What's this about?" The blonde sounded scared, which made Mai's empathy kick in "We are so sorry for the inconvenience Miss, we just have some questions about an old case, Mr. Russell knew the victim and truth to be told the police officer working the case didn't really write any useful information so we were wondering if he could help us." Mai said in a compassionate, tender tone. The woman seemed to relax or at least Mai hoped so. The blonde looked from Matthew to Mai and back again, while rubbing her belly. "Oh. I'm Zara, Bill's fiancee. Well, come on in." She led them into tastefully decorated living room "Please sit. I'm going to call Bill." She disappeared into the house before Mai could even sit down. The brunette looked around, observing the room, taking in the pictures of Zara and another man she pegged as Bill. They looked happy. She noticed some pictures of the blonde with what she guessed were her parents, but the man appeared in only one picture with an older woman, who was probably his mother. She turned to Matthew, who was quietly observing the room as she was moments before and cursed herself for not planning this better, they should have planned what to say, Zara almost fainted when she heard they, well, Matthew was a detective and looking for her fiance.

She was pulled into the reality by the arrival of Zara and Bill, tall, blond and brown eyed fellow, who introduced himself and sat down on another couch, holding Zara's hand. "You were looking for me. How can I help you?" He asked, clearly nervous, even if less than Zara, but then again, who wouldn't be, not counting Naru, Lin and maybe Yasu and Madoka, but those thoughts were not for now. It was Matthew who spoke first, confident and probably far more used to asking such questions he spoke "We were wondering what can you tell us about Charlotte Grunet."

To say Bill was shocked would be an understatement. His eyes widened and his mouth opened. When he reported his best friend missing 18 years ago all he received were ugly looks from adults that thought they knew better than a 13 year old child, they ignored Charlotte's disappearance, writing her off as another runaway. He knew that was not true, but what could he do without evidence and since then he has not seen her again. "Charlotte?" He asked as if making sure she was real. "Yes. Cute, shy, small for her age, long brown hair, blue eyes… She was ten at the time." Confirmed Mai, with a sad smile, still talking with tender tone. Bill looked at the young girl as if he was seeing her for the first time. "She was supposed to come over my house. I was 13, she was 10, but we still got along great. She often came over, she liked being anywhere else, but the orphanage. She hated the place, you know?" He seemed lost in memories while Zara looked at him in perplexity, hearing about this Charlotte person for the first time. "She was like a sister to me, we shared everything. She hated the orphanage, but she wouldn't run away, she was still hoping someone would adopt her…" Bill looked Mai in the eyes, afflicted and openly showing his indignation and hurt "18 years nobody cared, why now?! "

Mai wondered what to tell him, she couldn't just say she met Charlotte's ghost in a park and that his missing friend is not only buried probably somewhere in Regent's Park, but also murdered. She wanted to tell him, but she had no evidence, not really. She was glad Matthew decided to speak "I was going through old case files and found Charlotte's file. I decided to investigate in my spare time and I hope to discover the truth. I can't say why the police officer in charge of her disappearance never bothered to do more, but I will try, so please help me by telling me about Charlotte." Mai was once again impressed by the detective's smooth talking and convincing ways.

When the conversation was over Matthew offered to drive Mai back to her apartment building, but she refused, asking him if he could drive her to Regent's Park. "You don't trust me with your address?" He joked, wondering why would she ask for a lift there. "It's not that, I just have to talk to somebody there." Was her response. She had a strange look on her face, one of sadness and anticipation. "A date, huh?" Matthew asked with a smirk. He wondered about Mai. She was an interesting individual, bright, benignant, friendly, kindhearted, yet she had secrets, she evaded some questions and knew more that she let on, he was sure of it.

Mai blushed upon hearing the question, denying it quickly "No, I am meeting a friend! I just have to talk to her..."

The detective hopped onto his motorbike, waited until Mai was comfortably on with her arms around his abdomen and drove off to Regent's Park. As they reached Mai's destination she pulled the helmet off her head, her hair was messy, but she didn't really care, she tried to somehow make it better by hand, gave up after 5 seconds, thanked the detective and walked away.

Matthew supposed he should go, but he could not really make himself go yet. He watched as Mai walked into the park, wondering what kind of secrets she had, how she knew what she couldn't possibly know. He remembered as Bill Russell talked about Charlotte's experience in the orphanage, how the matron never had any pictures of her or any other orphan, because 'they costed to much' and how he brought a picture of Charlotte, the first one Matthew saw, yet Mai somehow already not only knew what she looked like, but also knew that the missing orphan was shy. He was determined to comprehend Mai's secret and discover more about the girl, without destroying what he considered beginning of a friendship. He put on the helmet and rode back home, wondering what would the future bring.


	6. Flowers

**Guten Tag!**

**My computer is officaily useless, it shows no signs of life or working, so I wrote most of this chapter on my phone. Well, here's the new chapter, I tried to chunk it into more paragraphs, tell me how that turned out... And I shall not bore you anymore, enjoy!  
**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect.  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am.  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.**

* * *

Mai walked in the park, headed for the spot where she first met Charlotte. It was evening and the cold breeze was making her shiver, she zipped the last 2 centimeters of her jacket and continued walking.

She quickly reached the spot and the ghost girl who was standing there, watching the calm water. "Charlotte." Mai gently said and the ghost turned with a smile. The blood stain on her dress made the Japanese girl sad, but she smiled nonetheless.

"Mai! You came back!" The ghost exclaimed happily and a bit shocked, like she wasn't expecting the other girl to return. "Of course, I promised, didn't I?" Mai continued to smile as the ghost nodded. "I visited someone today. Someone from your past. His name is Bill Russell."

Charlotte's reaction was unexpected. She hugged herself and whispered "Bill?" Then she looked at Mai "You must help Bill! His father!"

Mai could see that the ghost's eyes were on her, but she wasn't really seeing her as she continued to speak in loud voice. "I saw him hit Bill! He hurt him really badly. And the scars! I went to tell someone, but… but…"

She was hyperventilating, the temperature was quickly dropping and the grass under Charlotte's feet was slowly freezing. Mai ran to the girl, she tried to grab her but her hands went through the ghost, not knowing what else to do the psychic shouted the girl's name. Charlotte's eyes looked from the spot Mai stood on and focused on Mai like she was seeing her for the first time. Tears ran down her face as the ghost girl looked at other girl "I… I know what ha-ppened…" sobbed the ghost.

Mai wanted to hug the girl, yet that was not possible. She could only watch and whisper soft words of comfort, hoping it would be enough.

When the ghost calmed down Mai sat on the nearby bench. She took out her white notebook and a pen "Charlotte could you tell me what you know?" She asked softly, with a small smile. The ghost nodded and sat on the bench next to her.

"I was supposed to met Bill. I often went to his house, his parents didn't mind, they were kind to me, even if a bit cold. That day Mrs. Owens got angry with some of the children that laughed to loudly, she was screaming a lot and I decided to go to Billy earlier than usually. They lived near here in a flat on ground floor. When I arrived I heard some noises." She was looking at the ground while Mai wrote it all down.

"I decided to look what it was and I peeked through one of the windows." Tears once again ran down her cheek. "And then I saw it. Mr. Russell was beating Bill." She started sobbing again "He… He had a… a belt and he hit Bill. I was so scared. I turned to run, but Bill's mother was there. I couldn't tell her, she wouldn't believe me. She always agreed with that… that monster so I decided to go, to tell someone that would believe me, an old social worker, she was always nice to us; Mrs. Finely. But I never reached her, it all went black." She turned her gaze back to Mai "Then it's all foggy. Except the locket. I remember my locket, it was silver with a flower on it. It was all I had from my parents. I hid it somewhere. Under…Umm... Under wooden drawer" She seemed to be deep in thought "And… And flowers. There were flowers… I hit them. I think that whoever it was fell, they shouted "My wrist!"… That's all I remember." She looked sad and tired "I'm sorry, that is all I remember."

Mai's heart broke for the ghost. She died so young, so much was taken away from her, even justice. "It's okay Charlotte, you helped me a lot and I won't stop searching." She smiled and to her surprise the other brunette smiled back with tears still shining in her eyes.

* * *

The next morning Mai woke up at 6 a.m and with only 5 hours of sleep there was no doubt that she was not in good mood. She had an exam in parapsychology and her nerves were killing her.

She got up from her bed, showered and got ready for the day ahead. With freshly made green tea in her to-go cup she headed to the underground, where she hopped on the tube that brought her to her destination.

"You have 5 more minutes until the end of the exam." Informed them professor Davis, not that Mai needed it, she already finished and checked her exam, as it turned out the exam was much easier than she imagined and quite a few questions were on things she already knew from her time working as an assistant for professor Davis's son. Not that her professor knew that.

She rechecked her answers, finding no mistake she started doodling little lockets with flowers and cute little ghosts with her pencil in the corner of the paper. "Time's up." Mai stood up and walked to the front of the classroom with her exam papers and gave them to her professor. Upon seeing her doodles he looked at her oddly, she sheepishly smiled and walked away.

* * *

Once again Mai found herself at Bill Russell's foot scraper ringing the bell, only this time she was alone, to be even more accurate Matthew didn't even know that she was there.

It was Bill himself who opened the door this time. He looked surprised upon seeing her. "Um… Hi. I know I'm probably bothering you, but I have to talk to you about something a bit personal…" He looked at her suspiciously, but let her in nonetheless.

He led her to kitchen where he sat down on the bar chair, with a glass of water in his hand. Mai refused a drink as sat on another bar chair and turned herself so she was facing the older man, she looked in his eyes, took a deep breath and asked "Did your father abuse you?"

The glass shattered on the cold floor, Bill's eyes widened in shock and even some fear. "Where did you get that idea?" His voice shook a bit as he spoke. Mai could see from his reaction that she was right, not that she doubted Charlotte, but she couldn't just start a conversation with 'I think your abusive father killed your best friend.' Well not that there really is any kind of moment you can use that line normally.

"He did, didn't he?" It was phrased as a question even if it was anything but. "How do you know that?" He still looked at her with wide eyes, wary of her and her knowledge. In some other situation it may be funny to see a tall grown man afraid of a petite teenager, however that was not such situation. "Your reaction gave you away." It wasn't technically a lie, but it wasn't the whole truth. She hoped that he wouldn't notice, however her hope fell on deaf ears, Bill was a lawyer, a successful one, including that Mai isn't a good liar at all Bill could even in his shocked state see that that wasn't all.

"How did you discover that? My old therapist is the only person I have ever told, nobody else knows!" He exclaimed, he was relentless, determinated to discover where she got the knowledge. Mai was worried, she didn't know what to say, she couldn't just tell him that the ghost of a girl he knew told her.

She glanced at the shards of glass on the floor, keeping her eyes focused on them "I… Umm... " She really had to come up with something "Some time ago I came across some umm… things that made me look into Charlotte's case, I discovered about your abuse the same way. Your therapist didn't betray any information. I didn't even know you went to one until now. Well it's good that you vented your feeling somewhere, abuse can have quite big repercussions on one's life…" She was babbling a bit she realized and shut up.

She looked up at Bill seeing him staring at her suspiciously again, not that she blamed him, she did give him some very poor explanations of her knowledge of things she couldn't possibly discover by just public information. _Good job Mai, the man's a successful lawyer and that's the best you got_, thought Mai with a sigh.

"What kind of 'things'? Did some new evidence turn up?" Asked the man, glaring at Mai with a cold look that would made some grown men shiver, but that didn't bother her at all, because let's be real Lin and Naru would win any kind of glaring/staring competition, so Mai grew immune to any stare or glare except of the ones of the before mentioned ex-boss and ex-colleague.

"The 'things' are not evidence. The source of my information can't be used in the court." She smiled a bit, not one of her dazzling real smiles, but it was a smile. She didn't like the tension in the air.

"That still doesn't explain anything." He was still glaring at her, demanding answers. "You must have noticed by now that I'm not a detective or work for government. I am a student. And as I already said I came across some things that made me look into the case." She sighed, the man deserved the truth and she decided to be as honest as she could without earning a ticket to the mental ward. "I went to Scotland Yard to see if I can discover more and met Matthew, who decided to investigate as well. He doesn't know I am here, I couldn't just tell him that I know that you were abused, but have no evidence, he is a detective. So I came here, to ask you about it. I mean I knew that you didn't get along with your father from the lack of photos." His glare turned in a look of confusion "You have only a photo of yourself and your mother, yet no father anywhere." He scorned at her after she finished her, this time adequate, explanation.

"So you came here to play some kind of detective? Bringing back my past and unpleasant moments, supporting your theories on unexplained 'things' that aren't evidence! If that's what are you planning to do just leave, Charlotte's been dead for 18 years, my father for 16, you can't do nothing now!"

Mai understood his anger, but she had promised Charlotte and even if she hadn't the ghost deserved the justice. She glared right back at the tall man, her eyes full of fire "It does not matter if she has been dead for 18 or 100 years, Charlotte deserves justice!" She knew she let her temper get the best of her. "I am not playing a detective nor do I want to bring up painful memories and I am sorry for that… And for shouting."

Bill was still angry at the petite girl that came in his house and dug up his past. She was presumptuous. "Why is it so important to you? Just let it go." He sighed, frustrated and irated.

"That's the thing." Said Mai, just as frustrated as Bill, trying to make him understand that she was serious about it "I can't let it go, because if I do I would fail not only Charlotte, but also myself and every orphan on this world, because if I would die, I would like to think that somebody would care enough to discover the truth even is I don't have any biological family anymore."

The blonde looked at the girl, observing her. He could see that she wouldn't let go of this any time soon and she was right his childhood friend deserved justice and truth. He was still frustrated, irritated and glaring at her, but she and the detective were the only people that were willing to investigate Charlotte's disappearance, so he would bear with it or at least try. "So what now? You have some crazy theory based on the information you received from the not-evidence things, huh?" He mocked her, not really expecting an answer.

Mai knew he was mocking her, she was a bit annoyed, but she still answered "Well, it's more like hypothesis, but yes, I do have it." He glared at her, aggravated by her words. "Let's hear it then."

Mai continued to glare back "I think that Charlotte discovered that you were being abused and decided to tell somebody, but your father found out that she knew and stopped her from telling anybody his dirty secret."

To her surprise the man started laughing. It was a bitter laugh, like he couldn't decide if he was more saddened, amused or insulted by her hypothesis. "And you expect me to believe that? Your hypothesis?" He asked her, saying the last word tauntingly still laughing, yet there was nothing funny about his laugh, it made Mai sad, because her gut feeling told her that he could actually believe her.

"Yes, because you don't doubt that your father could kill somebody if it was important enough for him." She said sadly, her temper and annoyance gone with arrival of the sad truth.

He stopped laughing "You have no proof. Your source is wrong." He said, trying to convince more himself than Mai that his father wouldn't, couldn't do something like that. Mai looked at him with sympathy, because she knew that pity was not something he wanted. "I may not have any proof, but I strongly doubt my source of information is wrong."

She sighed, she had to find something better to at least convince him in that her source is somewhat valid.

"My source told me about Charlotte's locket. It was the only thing that connected her to her parents. Made of silver and with flower design on it. The only person who has known about the locket other than her is you. She hid it from Mrs. Owens." He didn't want to believe her, but she was right, he knew Charlotte has never shown the locket to anybody but him. "And in the locket was a picture of you and her in Regent's Park."

Bill could ignore the fact that her 'source' told her at least some veracious information for so long. He clenched his hands. He was angry at the girl for it, the truth hurt and he didn't want to admit that she was right.

Mai could see his reluctance and she knew that she couldn't convince Matthew with the same half-baked crazy plan. "Look, I know this proves nothing, I realize I am probably a rash fool, but I am not giving up on this, I am going to discover the truth or die trying." She was completely serious as she said the words "There is one way that I can prove or disprove my hypothesis and that's to talk with your mother."

The blonde looked at her as if she was crazy, with some outrage. "If you think that I will let you talk with my mother you are even more crazy than I thought. She knows nothing about what my father did, you will not bring her into it!" May sighed in exasperation, it seemed she's been doing a lot today "I won't tell her anything about the abuse if you don't want, I just have to ask her if she has seen Charlotte that day." His posture was tense "No." He answered.

Mai comprehended his feelings, she already came in his house with a bunch of horrendous memories he wished to forget and she only probed into his private life, she had no right to do so and she knew that her actions were presumptuous, but she promised Charlotte and while she was truly sorry for bringing Bill's past she needed to find the murderer.

"I know I am impertinent, tactlessly talking about your past and I am truly sorry. I get it, it's been 18 years, you have a wonderful life, you let your past behind and here I come tearing all up. All I want to ask your mother is one question. You can be there and the moment you think I said too much you can kick me out. I beg you!" He was still angry at her "You won't let it go either way, will you?" It was a rhetorical question, but Mai answered nonetheless "No."

It the end they agreed to met the next day at the entrance to the Regent's Park at 5.30 p.m, Mai even managed to convince Bill to let Matthew come along. Matthew knew nothing of the abuse or the fact that Mai was suspecting Mr. Russell senior to be the murderer Mai only said that she wanted to ask some questions and he went along with it, even if she wasn't completely sure if he actually believed her or not, but he went along with it anyway and she was grateful for that.

* * *

When the petite brunette finally arrived at home she was so exhausted by the conversation with Bill that she just brushed her teeth, dressed in her pajamas and went to sleep. She was thankful that she had already done all her assignments and fell asleep with no trouble at all.

_It was dark and her head hurt, she was dizzy and could barely open her eyes. She was lying on a wooden floor. She slowly opened her eyes, but everything was so foggy, the world was spinning. _

_She could barely distinguish the colors and shapes that were more than a meter and half away_, _like watching through glasses that didn't have your dioptre and even the things that were close were somewhat unclear. She heard doors opening she saw a human shape, and there were some things pink, purple and yellow and there was something silver, a knife._

_She was scared. She didn't know where was she or what was happening. She saw the knife above her and adrenaline shot through her veins, she kicked her attacker with that little strength she had left. She heard a crash, there was a scream "My wrist!". _

_The attacker wasn't focused on her, she couldn't see who they were, but she knew she had some time. She tried to get up, she failed. She could barely move her hands. She knew she was going to die. _

_With the last strength she had she took of her locket and hid it under the drawer by somehow managing to put it on a shelf-like wooden thing that connected the legs of the drawer. It was pure luck that she has done so without her attacker seeing, but she did. _

_She turned back to them. The attacker was getting up, she could see silver knife and pink, purple and yellow flowers as they got closer and she saw a crimson trail down their wrist. The attacker raised the knife above her, there was pain in her chest, it hurt so much and then world slowly turned black. _

Mai woke up with a scream. She knew whose murder she relived. She hated that kind of dreams, the ones that showed how people were killed, they made her sick and she couldn't get rid of the feeling for hours. She realized she was shivering. She looked at her alarm clock on the nightstand, 3.48 a.m it read. She knew she couldn't go back to sleep now, the memory was still too fresh in her mind.

She stood up and headed to kitchen where she brewed herself some herbal tea. She let the steaming mug on the kitchen counter to cool down a bit as she went to grab her laptop.

It should be around 12 a.m in Tokyo and she hoped that Yasu had some time to spare for a video chat with her, because she wanted to talk to someone who knew about her abilities and Charlotte and well she regularly called her family back in Japan, but only Masako and Yasu knew about Charlotte since Mai was worried that Monk would disapprove of her decision since she always got herself in trouble.

She clicked the call button and waited. It didn't take long for him to answer. "_Mai-chan! How are you? Why are you calling, isn't it like 4 a.m there?" _ He started in his typical way. Even through camera and half of the world difference you could sense his shiny, overly energetic aura. She took a sip of her tea and smiled at him.

"_Hey, Yasu! Yes it's 4 a.m here and I had a dream." _It was nice to speak in Japanese again mussed Mai. Yasu on the other hand seemed to sober up a bit upon hearing what she said "_It was one of those dreams, wasn't it?" _He didn't really need an answer, he knew his friend good enough.

_"What happened? Surely you didn't dream about Monk marrying Ayako instead of me, that would have been horrible!"_ She giggled at the last part, she loved the fact that he would make a joke of something serious, it made her feel like everything will be allright. Mai, while an open person never liked to burden others with her problems, especially after her parents died and she has done mostly everything by herself, but in the year after Lin, Madoka and Oliver left Japan, she learned to rely on others a bit more even if her definition of others included only Yasu, Monk, Masak, John and Ayako.

"_I dreamt about Charlotte's death."_ She said, taking another sip of her tea "_I already told you that I suspect Bill's already dead father, but I am bothered by flowers…"_

Mai continued to talk with Yasu for an hour and then he had to attend classes at his college. He was studying to be a lawyer and to be honest she could already see him in a courtroom smiling innocently, a flowery aura surrounding him while he planned the demise of his opponent.

By the time they were finished she felt better and ready for what she could see would be difficult day.

* * *

Mai could not decide if the time was passing too fast or too slow. She arrived at the meeting spot 15 minutes too early, with a much needed green tea in her hands that she desperately drank in order to beat her fatigue.

Soon other two men arrived as well. Bill seemed tense, not liking that she was going to talk with his mother, Matthew on the other hand appeared relaxed, grinning upon seeing her.

Mrs. Russell still lived in the same house that Bill grew up and was only 4 minutes away from the park.

Upon arriving Bill unlocked the front door "Mother, the people I told you about came to see you." He said and not even a minute later a woman came. Mrs. Russell introduced herself, smiling politely. She led them to the living room, where they sat down on the couch, while cookies and tea were on the small table, her polite smile never leaving her face. She was blonde, but you could see her hair has been dyed. Her face had faint traces of wrinkles.

Mai was surprised at the neatness of the house, it looked like it came from a 90's house catalogue.

"Can I offer you some tea?" Mai accepted it with a smile as did the rest.

"Bill said you had some questions, what are they about?" Asked the blonde woman. "That is correct, I would like to ask you about Charlotte Grunett." Replied Mai carefully watching the other female.

Mrs. Russell's tea cup shook just a bit upon hearing the name, the reaction was so faint that Mai wouldn't even notice it if she wasn't observing her so closely.

"That girl who went missing 18 years ago?" She asked, but the Japanese girl knew that there was no confusion about who she was talking about in the woman's head.

Mai let her eyes wander for a moment. She looked around the room and almost forgot to breath for a moment, because in the corner of the room was a wooden drawer, exactly the same as the one in her dreams.

"Yes." She could hear Matthew answer and she turned back to the woman, trying to mask her shock and focus on the conversation.

"Mrs. Russell, did you see Charlotte on the day she disappeared?" She asked softly, observing the woman even more carefully than before.

"Oh, no. I have already told the police that day that I haven't seen the girl." She said with her polite, impersonal smile. Mai knew that, she read the reports and she could feel Bill's glare on her silently telling her that her hypothesis was wrong and to get the hell out of his life. Matthew was looking at her too, even if his look was one of confusion. The brunette was aware that he was recording the conversation like the detective he was and she hoped to get some useful information.

"So you haven't let say, seen Charlotte nervously leaving without even entering the house after you returned from grocery store?" She asked. Bill's glare reached new depths, she could feel that he wouldn't let her continue this for long.

Mai reached for a chocolate cookie on the table, hoping that sugar and chemicals in the sweet will calm her down, the drawer in the corner of her vision was making her remember the dream and Bill's angry eyes didn't help.

She was still watching Mrs. Russell, who denied that she has seen Charlotte and took a sip of her tea, her hands shook a bit.

Mai's eyes widened, her cookie fell on the floor. "I am so sorry, I am really clumsy." She picked up the fallen cookie and turned her her gaze to the older woman, looking at her with quite a lot of shock and surprise, she knew she was right, her sixth sense told her so, she knew.

At first she planned to stay quiet and think about what she should say, she truly did, but she was a direct, honest person, who was unable to keep her thoughts to herself for very long. So in her shock she tactlessly blurted her discovery out.

"I truly was stupid..." she whispered, her eyes still on Bill's mother. "Mai?" She heard Matthew in the background, but all she could focus was the woman her eyes were locked with.

"18 years ago" she started her voice loud enough for all people in the room to hear "Charlotte Grunett was murdered."

She heard gasps "But the police said she ran away!" Exclaimed Mrs. Russell, looking at her warily.

"The police didn't even investigate if we are honest. So what the police said doesn't matter."

"That's enough!" Exploded Bill. He stood up to stop Mai "You will not be telling your crazy stories to my mother!"

It was Matthew who stopped him. The fact that the trusted her enough to let her continue her talk sent a nice bubbly feeling through Mai.

"She was stabbed in the chest with a knife." Everyone was looking at her. It was making her uncomfortable, but she didn't stop. "Why? Well, because she discovered your husband's dirty secret."

Mai looked around the room, Matthew was confused, but still held Bill's arm in tight grip, Bill was probably ready to kill her and his mother was blankly looking at her.

"At first I thought the killer was Bill's father, the man was violent and if he knew that Charlotte saw what he did to her friend he would have shut her up."

Mrs. Russell looked at her with expressionless eyes "You thought, past tense. What changed?"

Mai looked at her with a strange combination; pity and anger "Because he would only kill Charlotte if he knew that she saw him, but he didn't. You truly do care only about your reputation, don't you Mrs. Russell? You knew the whole time that your husband had been abusing your son and you were also the only person that knew his secret was about to be exposed, so to keep the act of perfect family up, you stabbed your son's best friend right here in this room and then hid her body in Regent's park."

As expected upon hearing this Bill shouted "You liar! My mother would do no such thing!" and at the same time the said woman exclaimed "You have no proof!" Matthew kept observing Mai, wondering where all that information was coming from. "Get out of this house!" roared Bill. Mai opened her mouth to speak, but Bill cut her off "Not a word anymore!" She tried to speak again, yet the results were the same, Bill wouldn't let her. He was furious and a little red in the face.

Mai, exhausted, irritated and fed up, finally shut Bill up, by shouting "I have a proof!" She stood up and repeated "I have a proof. Charlotte's locket. She managed to hide it before she died." She walked to the drawer, knelt and reached under it. She slowly stood back up and turned to Bill "Here." She tossed him the only thing that connected his mother with Charlotte's murder.

"That still doesn't prove that I killed her! It was my husband!" Screamed the older woman.

_She is right_, Mai mussed. "No, it doesn't." She really hoped that the other woman would give herself away "But I know that it was you. It's how you got the scar on your wrist. She kicked you, you fell and cut yourself. I also know that when you killed her you were wearing a dress with pink, purple and yellow flowers. Your poker face is great, but your hands give you away."

"How can you know that! I made sure to eliminate all threats! You will not ruin me you little brat! That necklace is no proof!" Screeched Mrs. Russell, who dropped her expressionless mask.

Bill looked at his mother in shock, not being able to believe his own ears. "You murdered her?" He asked his mother.

Mai felt sorry for him, both his parents turned out to be horrible people and she felt bad for ruining the illusion that at least his mother was a decent person.

* * *

Mai watched as Mrs. Russell was arrested for the murder and led into police car by two unknown police officers Matthew called. The recorded conversation was used as the evidence along with the locket.

She walked over to the detective. "Matthew, could I get the locket for like 20 minutes? My fingerprints are already on, so?"

He gave what she asked for, but not without suspicious look. Mai expected to be met with refusal and a lot more suspicion after just revealing to know information that even a government employee couldn't discover, yet he just gave her the locked no questions asked. She had an urge to tell him the truth, she had felt like she needed to explain herself. "Thank you." Was all she said. _Thank you for trusting me, for doing this, thank you..._ She thought and with that she turned and headed for the park.

Bill walked to Matthew. "Where's Mai?" The detective looked at him, saying that she just left. "Oh... Well could you tell her that she and you detective are um... invited to lunch this Saturday? I believe you have my number, so please inform me if you would like to attend."

The said detective wondered how could the man whose mother he just arrested invited his to lunch so casually. "I shall tell her." He said with a small smile, hoping to lessen the awkwardness and tension. "Um... Great, goodbye." With that said Bill left and Matthew went after Mai to tell her.

He managed to find her just as she was heading to a secluded spot in the park. He hurried after her, ready to call her name, but he stopped in his tracks when the brunette spoke to nothing.

"I kept my promise Charlotte." Said Mai and watched as the ghost appeared. "Really?" The ghost asked, looking at her with wonder. "Yes. It was Mrs. Russell, Bill's mother the one who murdered you." Charlotte watched with wide eyes, not saying anything. "I have brought you something." She showed her the locket and to her surprise she managed to take it in her palm. The ghost held the locket, looking at it with many emotions. "And Bill is safe, a bit sad and shocked, but safe. He has a fiance now. I know you have been wondering."

Charlotte clenched the locket to her heart. Her eyes looked into Mai's. "Thank you." With that she disappeared in a flash of soft light, while the locket fell on the damp grass.

Mai picked up the locket and as she was about to put it in her pocket she heard someone call her name.

"Matthew. I..." The brunette was speechless, she could only stare at the detective.

"I think we have to talk Mai."


	7. Loony or not?

**Ciao,  
First of all, I am so, so extremely sorry I didn't update before, I have been really worried about this scene. I am horrible at writing converations and I feel like this is a really importat thing for development of whatever Mai and Matthew have or will have. I hope I didn't write something horrendous... Tell me what you think, add any ideas and ENJOY!**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect.  
2\. Updated won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am.  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.**

* * *

They were sitting on a bench in the park, the same bench Mai was sitting on when she met Charlotte. Matthew was looking at her with suspicious and guarded look in his eyes, not saying a word since they have sat down. The tension in the air could be cut with a knife, a sharp, big one.

Mai was nervous, she never saw the friendly detective look so cold, guarded. Gone were the goofy grins and small jokes, it scared her to see him like that.  
It was Matthew who broke the silence first. "What is going on, Mai?" His voice was serious and Mai imagined that he used the same voice for the interrogations. He didn't blink, he just stared at her, his grey eyes reminding her of the sky during a storm.

As she heard his question, lying crossed her mind, maybe she could invent some crazy story and hope he would believe her. It would have been so much easier, but she wasn't a liar. The thought left her mind as soon as it came, because in the end she couldn't lie, especially not to someone she has considered her friend. She took a deep breath, the air filled her lungs and then breathed out. She looked him in the eyes, still nervous and her hands shook as she opened her mouth. "Do you believe in ghosts, Detective Turner?"

She was proud that her voice sounded more calm than she actually was. The detective's eyes never left her, his facial expression didn't change as he only confirmed what Mai already suspected. "No."

His answer did not make it any easier to explain or at least try to and Mai had no idea how to continue, she just hoped that her babbling explanation would not do any horrible long lasting damage on their friendship. She started playing with her long sleeves while looking at her lap. Mai could feel the detective's eyes on her. She still didn't know what to say. She looked back at Matthew, he deserved more than some half mumbled explanation, she knew that and she was determined to try, even if her hands couldn't stop shaking.

"I… I don't really know where to begin." She took another deep breath, trying to calm herself. "You know that I study at Cambridge, don't you?" He didn't answer and she didn't expect him to, it was a rhetorical question "Yet I have never told you what I study. I have been a bit scared to tell you… Well really scared. I didn't want you to think I am some mad teenager, but it doesn't really matter anymore, does it?" Her eyes, despite her fear never left his. "I study parapsychology."

He continued looking at her and only after an awkward moment of silence did he speak. "So you study some hocus pocus fake stuff, but that doesn't explain how you knew all those things and what just happened." He said, his voice not betraying any feelings, even if he was extremely confused, sceptic and frustrated. He just saw a girl he at least somehow considered a friend talk to nothing and a locket _float in the air_, he could not comprehend what was going on, there was no logical explanation! He was perplexed. Matthew Turner liked puzzles and mysteries and most of all he liked logic. It was why he was such an exceptional detective; he could connect the dots, he could find information and read people, yet what he saw… It made him doubt his own sanity.

The cool breeze played with Mai's semi-long hair, but she didn't really care. The Japanese girl looked at the older man with a small wistful smile. "It kind of does. You said you don't believe in ghosts, I don't either." And as she said that Matthew for the first time since they sad down showed some feelings. Surprise flashed in his eyes, his brows have rose just a bit and then in less than a second it was gone. "I **know** they exist."

She said that with so much conviction, that the young detective couldn't help, but wonder what made her so certain of this lie.

"I know you don't believe me. You don't need to and I don't expect you to, however you must understand that ghosts are real for me." She struggled to find the right words. "I… I have seen them and I can not deny their existence any more than you can deny that the Earth turns."

He wondered who filled her head with such ideas, yet as she spoke he was slowly filling with doubt that he was trying to deny. "And let me guess, you have seen some white floating things, that you are sure are ghosts?"

He was mocking her a little and it _hurt_. It hurt so much to be seen as some loony that belonged in a madhouse, it hurt to be mocked like that by someone you have called a friend.

A lonely tear escaped her brown, doe eye and slid down her cheek. She smiled at him just a little. It was a small, wistful smile, even more sad than the one before.

"They don't always float and they most certainly are not white, but yes, I have seen them."

Matthew felt bad. He saw the tear as it slid down her cheek, he saw her sad smile and even sadder eyes. And he realized that he still wanted her as his friend.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have reacted as I did. I don't know how to deal with this."He sighed "I just saw you talk with air and a locket float…"

And just like that his mask was gone, his feelings back on his face, in his eyes, the Matthew that Mai knew was back and she forgave him in a moment. It still hurt, but she could see he was truly sorry.

"It's oka-" she was interrupted before she could finish her sentence "No, it's not. I hurt you and that's not okay…" He kind of reminded her of a small puppy. "Could you finish your explanation, please. I won't mock you or be hurtful, I promise."

Mai knew he deserved it and with another deep breath, that she hoped would calm her, she continued.

"I can see ghosts, sometimes I dream about their lives or their deaths from their point of view… Being able to see things that shouldn't exist, is something that is usually considered an illusion. If I saw an illusion and happened to find out information that shouldn't be possible with regards to where I am physically, nobody would be able to confirm if that was a coincidence or something else. But it would still be different from a typical illusion. It would be be categorized and called ESP. At first you wouldn't know what's an illusion and what is ESP. But if this happens multiple times consecutively, I would be labelled as an esper."

He listened to her closely, his eyes no longer guarded and he could no longer deny that he was interested.

"Is that how you knew all those things about Charlotte? You saw her?" He still didn't believe in ghosts, but he was willing to listen.

"Yes and no." Was her answer and he found himself being more and more intrigued. "I saw Charlotte, but she didn't know who killed her, her memory about what happened was foggy. She knew she was dead, but not much more. I dreamt her death, that's how I knew it was Ms. Russell."

The young Cambridge student stopped and looked at the spot that she first saw the ghost girl on.

"The locket… It floated because she held it in her hands."

And so they talked. Mai explained him in detail all she discovered about Charlotte and he listened, asking questions every now and then. It wasn't long before the sun disappeared behind the horizon and their conversation slowly ended, however Matthew had more questions and more than that, he wanted to show his petit friend that he wouldn't abandon her because of it. He did not fancy losing a good friend over the fact that he doesn't believe in ghosts.

"Mai, would you like to meet tomorrow at 4 pm at the Starbucks that we visited when we met?"

A dazzling smile lit Mai's face as she eagerly nodded. "Yes!" She added just to be sure. She was truly happy that he still wanted to be her friend or at least see her.

And so they said their goodbyes and left the park, Mai headed to the underground by herself, despite Matthew's numerous offers and he sat on his motorbike after Mai refused a ride for the nth time.

It was nearly midnight and the lights in the archive room of Scotland Yard were turned on as someone was searching through the boxes of unsolved murders, some more than two decades old. The files were opened, read and closed as Matthew searched for something, even if he didn't know what that something was. He knew he should go to sleep, but he was to eager for tomorrow to rest.


	8. Coffee shop

**Merry belated Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and all the other happy and merry stuff!  
**

**I am, as always, extremely sorry for the late update. I hope I didn't write something horrendous... Tell me what you think, add any ideas and ENJOY!**

**1\. English is my third language so my grammar is far from perfect. (Why do I even write point 1, it's obvious.)  
2\. Updates won't be regular, I write when I write. I know it's annoying, I'm annoyed by it too, but that just the way I am.  
3\. DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ghost Hunt, I make no profit from this story, I write purely for my own joy.**

* * *

To say that Mai was scared would be an understatement. She was terrified of meeting Matthew and discovering that after a good night's rest he might change his mind about being her friend, because she knew far too well that there was a big difference between telling ghost stories and saying that ghost exist. She could still remember the time when she didn't truly believe in ghosts, simply enjoying in the thrill of that the stories about then brought. It seemed like a lifetime ago.

The young esper was standing in front of the coffee shop, waiting for the detective and playing with the strap of her leather messenger bag.

It wasn't long before she saw him walking down the street. He too had a similar leather bag.

In few long strides/steps he was standing before her with a smile on his face.

He greeted her with a simple "Hi, Mai." and headed in the shop with her tailing behind.

He opened the door for her and let her through with a small, silly bow. She was still not used to his kindness or maybe he was simply polite, yet she enjoyed it nonetheless.

They sat down on some big, soft sofas next to the window. As they sat down Matthew put his bag on the table and opened it. Mai could see the bunch of papers and files as he started to search through the bag. It didn't take long for the detective to find what he searched for and so he laid the file on the table, sliding it to Mai.

"What is this?" she asked. Matthew smiled, he looked eager and what surprised her the most, even a bit nervous.

He opened his mouth to speak, but he yawned instead and upon closer look the brunette could see faint circles under his grey eyes. "Sorry, I was up most of the night, I have been in the archive room… You would not believe how many unsolved cases gathered over the years!" He moved his hands through his explanation, adding his words some animation. "Anyway, I have searched for extremely unusual unsolved cases or simply strange happenings that have occurred in one place over a longer period of time and have been reported by more than one person. I thought we could look through it, you could do your thing and I could I don't know find some proof that ghost exist?"

He said it all without stopping and she had to wonder how he managed to breath in between. Yet that was all overshadowed by the sole fact that he actually tried to connect with her and her world. It was astonishing, it made her so delighted she even started to cry.

Tears slid down her cheek as she stared at Matthew, who was utterly puzzled and a bit panic.

"Mai, what's wrong?" He looked around in hopes of receiving some kind of help, even if he knew it was hopeless. He had no idea why his short friend started crying and even though he was a lady's man, he didn't know how to deal with crying females.

Mai wasn't sobbing, she wasn't letting out any noises, tears simply ran down her cheeks. She wiped her eyes with the long sleeves of her oversized jumper. "I'm sorry for worrying you, I was just really happy."

Her answer surprised him, he could not understand why would she cry of happiness simply because he brought a stack of papers "Why?" He asked.

The Japanese girl smile one of her sad smiles, one of those Matthew didn't like. "I didn't always believe in ghosts, I couldn't see them either… They used to be things from horror stories that me and my friends told each other about after class. It was almost a tradition for us." She had this thoughtful expression on her face, but she didn't look sad. "There were three of us, each had her own small flashlight and each one told one scary story. The classroom we were in had to be dark and after the story was finished we turned our flashlight off. So when all lights were off, we counted to three. According to the gossip a ghost would say "4"..." She smiled while she was telling this part.

"Did this ghost ever made his presence known?" Asked Matthew, interested in her story.

Mai laughed a little. "Only once had we ever heard someone say 4 after we stopped counting, but he was no ghost, just a normal human being."

She looked pensive for a while, then she added. "Actually, he wasn't normal at all. He was and probably still is quite… odd. It turned out he was a ghost hunter that investigated the abandoned building that was part of my high school and after I, accidentally, broke his assistant's arm he tricked and blackmailed me into helping him by taking his hospitalized assistant's place." She let out an annoyed sigh and then she grinned. "It turned out that he wasn't the only person that my headmaster hired and so I met some extremely interesting people, that I now call my family." Her fond expression made the detective smile, as he attentively listened to her.

"In the end there was no ghost there, the building was sinking. The mystery was solved and I went on with my life, for a couple of days that is. Then he offered me a job. The ghost hunter I mean…"

Her smile turned wistful again, her head lowered as she looked at her hands on the table, but there was something else there that Matthew could see. Longing… "What happened to him?"

The brunette looked him in the eyes, she pondered over what to tell him when a person came over their table.

"What do you think you are doing? This is a coffee shop." Mai and Matthew turned their heads to look at the stranger and they saw a middle aged man that had a pin with _Manager_ written on it. At first they were puzzled by what he said, until they remembered that they were sitting there and chatting for a while without buying anything and the manager noticed it.

They looked at each other, back at the manager and smiled at him. Mai's smile was a sheepish one, while Matthew had more of an amused smirk on his face.

It was Matthew who answered him "Sorry, sorry… We have been deciding what to get."

The manager gave them a suspicious look that clearly stated that he didn't believe them. Luckily for them his phone rang and with one last suspicious look he left them, but not without having the last say "Well, decide fast."

So they ordered some tea and coffee and sat back.

Sipping his coffee Matthew observed Mai for a bit. "So, about the unsolved cases…"

Upon hearing him, Mai opened the file that was still on the table. It was an thick fille. One the first page there was a picture of a man there, a maison in the countryside. It was a beautiful mansion that looked enormous. Before she could read the text Matthew started talking "In that house there were four murders and twice as much reported disturbances in the last decade only."

Mai turned her gaze from the file to the detective. She put a strand of her brown hair behind her ear. "I would really like to do it, I truly would Matthew…"

The detective could see where this was going, taking a sip of coffee from his almost empty cup he interrupted her before she could continue. "There's but in there, isn't it?"

Mai had a regretful look in her eyes and she played with her sleeves, a nervous habit that the detective noticed a long time ago.

"I am really sorry Matthew, I have too much school work to do. I can't go chasing something that may not even be there and missing lessons. This university is the best place to study parapsychology in the world…"

He couldn't argue with her, he knew that he would have done the same.

"Okay, I get it." He smiled at her. He wasn't angry, a bit disappointed, but understanding. "Could you just do one thing?" His comforting smile didn't waver as he looked at her.

Mai nodded and Matthew spoke "You told me how you became a ghost hunter, but that doesn't explain why did you cry…"

She could read between the lines well enough to understand his question even without it being one.

"Back in Japan a lot of my friends started to make fun of me after they discovered where I work. They bullied me quite a bit…" She was uncomfortable talking about this, the memories weren't the most pleasant ones, but she trusted him. "The teachers didn't do anything about it even though they knew. Some of them even mocked me and asked questions about themes and things we haven't learnt yet. I was pretty miserable in school after that." She shot him a wiry smile and took a sip of her tea.

"Despite what my ex-boss used to think, most of the days I couldn't wait to get to the office…"

She paused for a bit, keeping her eyes on her tea cup. It was like they were in a bubble of their own, only they mattered and the silence that hung in the air seemed to have it's own message.

Mai took another sip of her tea and the detective said nothing. He wondered how many people knew about this. Has anyone seen that under her charming and bright smiles this girl had problems too? He knew that everybody had their own problems, it was a lesson he learned long time ago, but sometimes it is so easy to delude yourself that everything is fine, just because a person doesn't say anything.

"I used to arrive late to work because some of the students thought it would be funny to hide my things…" She looked out of the window, yet not really seeing the people passing by. "Shoes, books, pens… At the end of the day, at least one my thing was missing. Thank the stars that those few friends I have helped me find my stuff and nothing was ever thrown away or damaged beyond repair. It was a small comfort I guess…"

Then she snapped out of her thoughts and looked back at Matthew and smiled. It was a sincerely happy smile, nostalgic, but happy nonetheless and it appeared so out of the blue, that the detective was actually shocked for a moment.

"Then I got adopted and when Monk discovered what was going on in school, he went to the headmaster and complained and threatened so much, that the school was forced to do something about it." She remembered, looking delighted.

Matthew on the other hand, while pleased that his short friend was no longer sad, was a bit confused. "Monk?" He asked.

Mai smiled sheepishly at him and laughed. "Well, yes. The man that adopted me used to be my coworker. He kinda still is, but that's not a point. He is a monk, but that's more of a side job for him. He is actually a bassist in a rock band. Though it's harder to believe he is a monk than a rocker. So we usually just call him Monk." She explained. "Oh and his real name is Houshou Takigawa."

The detective smiled at the younger girl. It was clear she adored her father figure, her eyes shone when she spoke and he could hear the happiness in her voice. He was glad she had someone that seemed to care for her.

"He sounds nice." He commented and Mai grinned. "He is! The others are great too!" She said energetically. "I miss having lunches at Monk's with them." She then added and the lunch part kicked Matthew's brain in motion as he remembered that Bill invited them to lunch.

He looked at the girl apologetically. "Well, speaking about lunches, Bill invited us to lunch this Saturday." He said and hoped this wouldn't turn really awkward, considering there was 'some' tension between Bill and them. "So, what do you think?"

Mai choked on her tea, when she heard the detective. She coughed. She did not expect that. It took her few seconds to somehow compose herself and then she opened her mouth and gave an award winning reply. "Errr…"

She then proceeded by questionably looking at Matthew, back at her cup, Matthew's cup and finally properly speaking all while her companion watched in silent amusement. "Maybe we should go."

And so they, well actually Mathew called Bill and to tell him they accepted the invitation. It was a short, awkward conversation, just as the detective suspected. He hoped that they won't all choke on the tension, that will undoubtedly be present for lunch.

Ather that the detective and the japanese girl continued talking. The conversation wasn't about paranormal and it was a welcome change. Both were happy to realize that they could still talk about other stuff as if nothing changed.  
They talked so long that when they left (read: thrown out of the shop by the sour manager), the sky was already dark and each headed home with a smile adoring their face.


End file.
